My Lovely Balaur
by Steel Flames
Summary: On his 17th birthday Harry inherits a whole lot more than creature blood, a mate, and a whole new side to the war, though he inherits those too. Grey!Harry, Creature!Harry, mates, possible mpreg, snarry. Rated M for latter chapters.
1. A Freak

A/N I don't own Harry Potter. If I did… well ;)

Pairing is Harry Potter/Severus Snape. Slight Dumbledore bashing. Grey!Harry, Creature!Harry. Thanks for reading; enjoy!

Five.

Four.

Three.

Two.

One. Harry Potter was to be 17, the year wizards came of age and went through any magical or creature inheritance.

Midnight. Pain.

Searing, burning, blistering pain shot like fire down his spine. Harry laid spread eagle on the old bed in Dudley's second bedroom. He back arched with the pain and he let out a strangled cry. Tendrils of fire creped from his back, along his arms and down his thighs. His vision faded as the burning made its way to his eyes. Emerald Green eyes watered as his vision was finally corrected.

The fire creeped along every inch of his skin replacing it with smooth scales. Harry's unmanageable hair smoothed out as it grow longer, stopping when it would fall just to the small of his back. His skull felt like it was splitting in half, the worst pain by far. He didn't know it, but there were several blocks placed on his magic that had just been broken.

As suddenly as it appeared, it was gone. Harry released a shaky breath and rolled over; he might as well try to get some sleep while he had the time. The Dursleys would want him up at 5 to cook their breakfast. Harry awoke to a pounding on his door.

"Freak! Get UP!" Aunt Petunia's shrill voice wailed from the otherside. He heard the locks click open.

"Yes, Aunt Petunia," Harry said, surprised with the low timbre of his voice. He moved to get off the bed and was immediately thrown off balance. Leathery, so-green-they-were-black wings fluttered behind him in acknowledgement. He supposed he should be surprised, but after all that he'd been through all he could think was "Wicked!"

After carefully making his way to the bathroom all he could do was stare. Where there had once been tan skin riddled with scars was now smooth, black scales. In the place of his many scars were silvery scales, the iconic lightning bolt on his brow being the brightest. His hair was as soft as a feather and the dark blue-black of one. His lips were full and red, his cheekbones high, and lashes long. The ropey muscle he'd gained playing quidditch and working in the Dursley's yard, he was happy to see, had remained. What excited him most though, was that he'd grown almost a foot.

He got two steps out the bathroom door before he realized the problem with his new appearance. If the Dursleys thought he was a freak before he couldn't see them being okay with this quickly darted back into the bathroom, glaring at his reaction.

"Okay, wings, if you could go aways for a bit, that'd be great." When they receded into the newly formed ridges on his back he grinned. "Scales?" He though hopefully and realized he could will his scales and wings away. Checking a few times to be sure, he hurried down to start breakfast.

With a grunt of ", Freak." Uncle Vernon yanked the platter of bacon from Harry's hands. "Your list of chores is on the counter." Harry nodded heading outside to start before the noon sun hit; he didn't know when they'd allow him water or his next meal. Somehow, he had to get out of here.

x.X.x.X.

There was an owl from Gringotts at Harry's window when he stumbled into his room that night. He took the letter quickly, sending the bird an apologetic glance for the lack of treats. The letter simply said there was some important business the goblins had to discuss about his inheritance. He sighed. "Well, that's helpful." He decided that night that he'd run away. He didn't know exactly how or if there were still wards around the Dursleys now that he was 17 and a creature. The sooner he got out the better.

x.X.x.X.

He summoned the knight bus, still without wings and scales. Pulling on an oversized hoodie he slipped through the Leaky Cauldron and into Diagon Alley. A vicious looking Goblin beckoned Harry into a private room as soon as he passed through the door.

"Is this about the letter I was sent?" Harry asked.

"Ragnok will explain everything." The goblin left with a snarl.

"Mr. Potter?" the goblin sitting at the desk, Ragnok, sneered ", Would you care to explain why you have a glamor on?"

"Oh," Harry grinned sheepishly. "I forgot about that." He called out his wings and revealed his scales. "Is there any change you know what I am?"

"We could do an inheritance test, just place three drops of blood here." Ragnok handed Harry a knife. Soon works began to form, ink like blood. Harry's jaw dropped. This was not happening.


	2. A Father

A/N I don't own Harry Potter. Thanks so much to everyone who's followed and favorited. Please review!

Harry blinked owlishly at the words before him. Apparently her was a lord, many times over. The inheritance test read:

Full Name- Harrison James Potter

Mother- Lily Potter nee Evans

Father- King Kealen Le Fay

Father by blood adoption- James Charlus Potter

Godmother- Healer Narcissa Malfoy nee Black

Godfather- Sirius Black

Inheritance(s)-

Magical- Removal of magical block(s)

Blocking 90% of core

Blocking creature inheritance

Magical sight (Harry can see auras now)- Through mother's line

Parseltongue- Through Slytherin and Le Fey lines

Creature- Balaur (A/N *cough* Title *cough* *wink,wink*)- Through Le Fay line

Heir to Lordship(s)-

Peverell- Through Father by blood adoption's line

Gryffindor- Through Peverell line

Potter- Through Peverell/Gryffindor line

Ravenclaw- Through Mother's line

Slytherin- Through right of conquest

Black- Through Godfather's line

LeFay- Through Father's line

Merlin- Through Magical Inheritance

"Ragnok?" Harry tilted his head curiously with the new influx of information. "I understand all but my father, he wasn't James Potter?"

"It seems he was not. A blood adoption, though, makes you he son as much as you as Kealen Le Fay's."

"Le Fay? as in Morgana Le Fay?" Ragnok's shark like smirk was enough for Harry.

"Mister Potter, should they choose to accept you, you'd would be lord to some of the most powerful houses in existence." The goblin said, his tone stressing the severity of the situation. "If you'd like I can arrange someone to teach you what is expected of a young lord such as your self."

"That would be great," Harry said. If he was to be the lord of so many houses, he should probably learn what that meant. "Another thing? Do you have any idea what I am? What a Balaur is, I mean."

"I'm sorry, but no. You'll most likely find that information in a family grimoire in a Le Fay vault. Shall we move on? The rings will need to accept you in order for you to claim lordship." Harry nodded and a young goblin brought in eight small, wooden boxes. Harry gasped as each was revealed. "You may start whenever you wish, mister Potter, simply place it upon your finger."

Harry reached for the Potter ring first. It accepted him resizing to fit his finger with a happy hum. The Peverell ring held him still for a moment, sweeping its magic up and down his body before settling. The Gryffindor ring swirled its magic around his heart and gave him the sensation of falling off a cliff as it resized to his finger. The Black ring nearly blinded him, but as soon as he was calm he recognised it was only playing with his magical sight. The Ravenclaw ring invaded his mind. The Slytherin ring danced along his vocal chords. The Le Fay ring acknowledged his scales and his wings with a soft buzz. They all accepted him and resized to fit his finger.

Harry hesitantly put the ring of Merlin on his finger. It's magic sought out his core, flowing around it before flooding to feel the magic of the other houses. When Harry looked down he was shocked to see the magic of the Merlin ring wrapped around the others. Fascinated he watched as every house's magic swirled around each other and the rings sunk into his fingers like tattoos.

"Congratulations Lord Potter-Black-Gryffindor-Ravenclaw-Slytherin-Le Fay-Peverell-Merlin," Ragnok said an awed expression on the old Goblins face. He bowed to Harry a sign of great respect. "I shall be in contact once I find someone suited to coach a Lord such as yourself." Harry blushed at the title.

"Please, just call me Harry," he said quickly. "Do you not have any Goblins that would be willing to teach me? I don't know if I want anyone else to find out about this quite yet." Ragnok looked shocked.

"You want me to find a Goblin teacher?"

"Well, if you wouldn't mind? I don't exactly trust anyone else… or know how I would go about finding someone. Which is why I need someone to teach me I suppose… "

"Its not that Lord-Harry. Most wizards don't think Goblins fit for much of anything other than working for them. Very few magical people hold any respect at all for Goblins."

"Well, that's rather dull-witted isn't it? Goblins do handel like all of our money." Ragnok grinned, he was starting to like this wizard. "Plus, I'm not all wizard, am I?" Harry flapped his wings with a small smile. Ragnok had his scary shark-grin again.

"No, I don't suppose you are."


	3. A Fairy

A/N I don't own Harry Potter. It's tragic, I know. Thanks for follws, favs, and reviews! _**Questions for you:**_

I have Harry and Severus right now. _**Should I bring anyone else into the pairing?**_

Harry was going to be the Top/Dom, but if I get enough reviews, PMs or votes (Poll on my profile) wanting bottom/sub that can always be changed._** So… do we want to see a Dom, Sub or equal Harry?**_

Harry glanced at his scaled hands for the fifth time in a minute. While he wore skin the rings merely looked like tattoos, but his creature form had small, bright scales in crest's color pattern. Where jewels were inlaid in the ring they were in his scales. It was utterly fascinating and he seriously hoped the same went for regular tattoos. As soon as he got out of his vaults he wanted to get one.

The Goblin running the cart stopped at the first vault his had requested to visit, Le Fay. He hoped there would be something about his creature inheritance in either the Slytherin or Le Fay vaults. The door was heavily guarded with family magic and Harry had to slice his hand and press it to the door.

The main vault contained the usual gold and jewels, but there was also a sizable library, a cushy couch and a glass case of artifacts. There was a large portion dedicated to diaries/journals, another dedicated to recipe books, both potions and cook, books on wandless, mind, and blood magic, all borderline dark. At the end cap of the book case was a trunk. The thing seemed to be one seamless block of wood, engraved with thousands of little snakes.

Harry studied it for a moment before hissing _'open'_ in parseltongue. The snakes slithered around until the top ceased to exist and all at once the books rushed into the trunk. Harry experimentally stuck his hand in the opening and was sucked into the library within. The books lined the walls with plentiful room to add more. Harry exited the trunk and was happy to see it responded to lightning and shrinking charms. He scooped up the trunk, now slightly bigger than a toaster and went to check out the main display of artifacts.

He found a wand holster made of strangely familiar scales for his forearm and a set of daggers he could tuck into boots or strap on his thighs. Another scaly hollister confused him for a moment before he realized they were made of the shed skins of his own race. This particular hollister allowed curved blades to slide in a sheath along his wings, effectively hiding them from view when his wings were extended.

He had no need for armor as his creature hide was much stronger than flesh and was unaffected by most magic or force. He did, though find a few cloaks with different useful, protective enchantments and a spell that would allow his wings to pass through the fabric if he so wished it to. A rucksack, custom built to be comfortable with his wings and enchanted with wizard space on the inside was the last item he took. He had already gotten a card from Ragnok that would act like a muggle debit card tied to his vaults, so he didn't need to worry about gold. He pulled his cloak over his old rags from the Dursley's, pulled the hood over his head and headed out.

He quickly retracted his scales and made his way to the muggle shopping area outside the Leaky Cauldron, he refused to be clad in barely there rags now that he was one of the richest wizards in Britain. Harry quickly purchased a new muggle wardrobe. He kept on a tight black tshirt, ripped black jeans, and combat boots, which he settled his new knifes into. His cloak left open, hood down looked enough like a trench coat that the muggles would just think him a weird teenager. He also bought a set of pens and a few spiral notebooks, quills and parchment were a bitch. He wanted to get a tattoo and some piercings, so he headed to a place owned by a muggleborn that tailored to both muggles and wizards.

Upon arriving Harry saw a door off to the side of the shop covered in magic. He peaked his head in and smiled when he saw a willowy witch with dark, pixie cut hair sitting behind a check in desk going over a defence book.

"Um, hi?" Harry said nervously.

The girl looked up, startled. "Oh, Hi. Can I help you?" The girl had bright violet eyes, but Harry didn't think much on it, Tonks changed her hair with her mood after all. "I was wondering if you could tell me the difference between magical and muggle tattoos and piercings? I know I want to get some but I'm not really sure what…"

"Oh, sure," The girl grinned, showing off two little fangs. "Basically, Magical tattoos can move or be enchanted with certain things. There's a whole booklet there." The girl gestured to the table in front of her. "And you probably should get magical piercings, your dragon would probably expel the metal every time it changed if you get muggle ones."

"My dragon?" Harry asked warily.

"Yeah, you do know about your inheritance?" The girl asked, confusion showing on her delicate features. Filmy, silvery wings materialized behind her. "I'm a storm fairy. I can smell your creature on you."

"You know what I am? All I know is that I'm a balaur… whatever that is."

"Sorry, but no. All I know is it's Dragonoid and that's probably your full creature form. I could ask around though? Someone's bound to know something."

"Sure, um?"

"Oh," The little fairy blushed. "My name's Zoreah."

"I'm Harry."

Harry left what he soon learned was Zoreah's brother's shop with the promise of an owl if she learned anything about the Balaur. Harry now had piercings in his left eyebrow, a small lip ring, double piercings in both ear lobes, and one one each side in the cartilage. For now they were all either obsidian or silver, but he had plans to get gem adorned ones next time he visited. A small black dragon curled up on his ribcage occasionally breathing fire. Well, for now. The tattoos weren't confined to anyone area and could move wherever there was space. An emerald green snake had been inked into one bicep, a pearl white one on the other. He wanted more, but Zoreah rolled her eyes and said he should wait till he found his mate or mates.

"You never know what sort of fun tattoos or tribal markings will arrive with the claiming of a mate." She waggled her eyebrows playfully and grinned at Harry's blushing face. He hadn't really thought about mates, but he supposed he'd probably have one. Dragon's mated for life, after all. Harry wasn't quite sure how that would work since he was gay, but mostly he was excited he would have someone to share his life with, someone who understood his creature. He always wanted a family. No matter, he would deal with that when he got there. First, he had to find out what the hell a Balaur was. He crashed into another body, shaking him out of his musings. He reached out to steady the other person, strong cords of muscle in the arms beneath his fingers.

"I apologize," A silky voice said. "I was not watching where I was-" the voice sucked in a sharp breath as Harry met the eyes of Severus Snape. He expected him to rant about watching where he was going, to sneer, hiss_ "Potter_!" and storm away. Insead he breathed ". My**_ mate_**… "


	4. A Family

A/N Harry Potter isn't mine. **Thank you so much** for all the follows, favorites and reviews! Votes for Dom/Top or Sub/Bottom Harry in reviews or PMs will be counted, but there's also a** Poll on my profile** for it. Sub/bottom Harry is winning by a few votes right now, but it's not important to the story for a few more chapters. Also, whichever I don't use in this story will be in the next one; I love them both. _**Questions for you:**_

So… do we want to see a _**Dom/Top, Sub/Bottom or equal Harry?**_

I have Harry and Severus right now. Should I bring **_anyone else into the pairing?_**

**What do we think of my OC, _Zoreah?_ **_Keep her? Write her out entirely? Help her take over the wizarding world?_ I don't really know where I'm going with her…

_Previously:_

_"I apologize," A silky voice said. "I was not watching where I was-" the voice sucked in a sharp breath as Harry met the eyes of Severus Snape. He expected him to rant about watching where he was going, to sneer, hiss "Potter!" and storm away. Insead he breathed ". My mate… "_

Harry expected to be freaked out, disgusted, angry that fate had decided yet again that his life needed to be any more complicated than it already was. He wasn't, he could smell it on him now that they were close. He knew this was his mate and found himself answering ", Yes?"

Severus Snape had been waiting nearly twenty years for a mate. Of course it would be the Potter spawn. The one wizard, aside from the the Marauders themselves or perhaps Dumbledore, who hated him most would be the one person destined for him. He doubted he'd face anything but rejection.

"Nothing I expect you understand, Potter. Good day," he pulled his arms from Potter's grasp and moved to get as far away from the younger wizard as possible.

He wasn't surprised when he heard the boy's hurried footsteps chasing after him. "Oi! Snape! Wait up!" Severus sighed. Turning around was to be a bad idea; he did it anyways.

"Yes, Potter?" his voice was always dark and dry, but it lacked the usual bite. Harry frowned a the melancholy resolution etched onto his newly found mate's face. Was he really that undesirable? Harry knew the man didn't like him much, hated him in fact, for the sins of his father. Who wasn't even his father…

"James Potter isn't my father," he blurted before he could help it. His ears pinked at the tips, but he forced himself to stand firm.

Severus raised his eyebrow in question ", What do you mean James Potter isn't your father?"

Harry shrugged ", I had an inheritance test at Gringotts. My father is a man by the name of Kealen Le Fay."

"Is there a point to this rambling, Potter? I really must be on my way."

"He's not my father," the emerald eyed wizard insisted. "That's not my name."

Severus pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. "What would you have me call you then?"

"Harry," he said softly.

"That's hardly an appropriate way for me to adress a _student_," Snape sneered.

Harry winced, he was hoping his mate wouldn't reject him right away. He knew when he wasn't wanted. Message received, loud and clear. "I wasn't asking as your student." Harry fidgeted self consciously. ", I was asking as your mate, but if you don't want me… I understand. I know i'm not much to look at, and a total freak, and you hate me. I-I wouldn't expect you to ignore all of that… I know I'm not what you expected." Harry stepped away, arms wrapped around himself. "_I'm sorry, I'm not what you deserve_." and before Snape could say anything Harry apparated out of Diagon Alley.

Harry wasn't sure exactly where he ended up. The apparition was only half intentional. He'd been thinking of how he wanted to get away from his mate's harsh words, be somewhere accepting. He cautiously made his way to the large manor. To his surprise the main doors swung open as he reached them. As soon as he crossed the thresh hold his wings burst from his back and his scales formed.

A tiny voice let out a little ", Eep!" from the corner. Harry turned to find several house elves huddled in the corner. Dobby stood in the middle, front of them, head tilted to the side curiously. Kreacher stood beside them indifferently.

"Dobby?"

"Yes, Harry Potter sirs?"

"What are you doing here?"

"Well…yous be calling all yours house elfs, even elings… and wes be thinking that yous was gonna eat us," Dobby's tennisball eyes fluttered nervously.

Kreacher snarled darkly in his gravely voice ", That's being true, dragons always be eating house elfs when theys angry."

"I'm not going to eat you, really." Harry said in as soft a tone as he could manage. "Now, what's all this business about me calling you? I can possibly know all of you to have called on you."

"You doesn't need to be knowing alls us, Harry Potter sirs, It was your magics that bes calling us," Dobby said.

"Oh, so you're all my house elfs now?"

"For Potter manor, Mr Potter sir," an old female house elf holding a swaddled elfling said

"Is that where I am?" The elfs responded in the affirmative. After sending all but Dobby, Kreacher, the old elf, Twinkly, and her elfling, and her mate, Crinkly away Harry was given a tour of the manor. He found out that Kreacher and Dobby were his personal elfs and not tied to any family magic, but him which was why they came and not all his elfs. instructed all the elfs to call him by his first name. They, at least attempted to do so, unlike some people he knew. He sighed, he was trying not to think on his mate's rejection.

Harry would have set up a time to talk to Ragnok about his properties to find one most suited to his manor, though, was wonderful, although the Gryffindor colors were a bit much in some rooms. The master suite was done up in creams, browns and cherry wood. Not exactly what he would have chosen, but it would work until he returned to Hogwarts. The thoroughbreds in the stable were skittish around him, but the animals in the forest couldn't stop scampering up to him and then darting away. The library was big and he hoped to find something about his creature there.

x.X.x.X.

Harry couldn't sleep. The green eyed wizard sighed, rolling over in bed, only to get tangled in the comforter and crash to the floor. Brilliant. He found himself gazing out his window clad in boxers, a dagger on his thigh underneath and his wand strapped to his arm.

Maybe it was because he was half asleep, but it seemed as good time as ever to test how his wings worked. Soon he was unlatching the third story window. He climbed onto the ledge, bouncing on his toes to test his weight and dove. He did not fly. He crashed into a charm that caught him about five feet off the ground like a rope tied around his waist.

"Pott-Harry sirs!? Yous being okay?" Twinkly asked, her eyes wide. "Was Harry sirs bes trying to die or just beings stupid!?"Her voice changed to chiding when she figured out he was fine.

Harry blushed under the elderly elfs glare. "Sorry, Twinkly. I was just trying to fly." The elf lowered him to the ground. Mumbling about foolish hatchlings she popped back inside.

Harry chuckled at the mothering little elf. He knew he wouldn't be getting any sleep and wandered toward the forest. That first day he had found a calming brook and hoped to find it again. The trees were ancient and plentiful. The forest floor was soft with just drying mud from a summer storm and it smelled like it would rain again soon. Owls were alive and hooting. A sharp pang stabbed his chest when he remembered the emaciated form of his first friend after Uncle Vernon had starved her to death.

He gasped when he came across a herd of thestrals. There was maybe a dozen almost reached adulthood and half as many young foals. All crowded around the last mother lying in the ground. A foal, easily the smallest, whinnied and pressed its snout to the one lying on the ground. The others sniffed it and then slipped away. The young foal tried to keep up, but they soon left him behind. He whimpered and then caught sight of Harry.

Harry expected the thing to bolt, but it didn't. It seemed to appraise him, before trotting over and rubbing its snout against Harry's thigh. The scaled wizard smiled softly and ran his hand along the thestral's bony back.

He yawned as the sun came over the horizon. He said goodbye to the little creature and headed back to the house. Upon reaching the patio he realized the thresaral had followed him from the forest. "Don't you want to go back to your brothers and sisters?" The baby whined and refused to leave Harry's side. "I suppose you'll want something to eat?" It whinnied as if in agreement. Harry laughed ", Come on in, then."


	5. A Familiar

A/N I don't own Harry Potter. Siri's dead, Dumbledore is alive (for now :), Harry's going into his 7th year, Draco's not a death eater yet. _**Thank you so much**_ for all the follows, favorites, and reviews. They make my day_** :)**_ So, I think_** I have decided on whether Harry's Dom or Sub.**_ It'll show within the next few chapters. _**My next story (I'm working on it) will have the opposite Dom or Sub**_, because I honestly love them both. Enjoy.

Harry held out strips of raw meat to the thestral foal. It gobbled them greedily and as Harry cooked himself a midnight snack it ate whatever fell on the floor. Harry laughed ", You're like a big puppy aren't you." It snorted and nipped at Harry's ankle. "Oi! I'm not food!"

"I am not a puppy, you big _lizard_!" It tossed it's little mane and stomped a hoof. Harry blinked and rubbed his eyes.

"Did you just talk!?"

The thestral snorted ", I choose you as my wizard, I had to draw your blood so we could speck."

Harry chuckled, only him. "I have a thestral as a familiar."

"Yup."

He smiled at the little foal, running his hand through its mane. "Do you have a name?" It shook its head no. "Shall we call you Sephtis?"

"I like the sound of that." Harry still had yet to figure out how Sephtis would fit in at Hogwarts. After all, most students wouldn't be able to see the thestral. They'd think Harry was bloody bonkers. On second thought, that might be kind of fun.

x.X.x.X.

Harry was soon summoned to Gringotts. He pulled on a blood red cloak soaked in notice me not charms. Sephtis, who had hardly left Harry's side, insisted on coming with. He hustled through Diagon Alley. Even if people couldn't see them they were naturally averse to being near thestrals. He swept through the Alley, calming when he reached the wizarding bank.

"Mr. Pott-Harry," Ragnok greeted Harry. "I have found you a Goblin capable of teaching a Lord such as yourself, but I am afraid he is not available until the third week in august."

"That's fine, Ragnok," Harry said. "Have you the list of properties I own?"

"Of course, Harry." As Harry reviewed his properties in shock. There were too many to mention. He now owned Potter manor, obviously, and to his surprise Grimmauld Place. He took care of his affairs and left. He had a fairy to visit.

"Harry!" Zoreah squealed, jumping up and flying over the desk at the sight of him.

"Hellu, Zoreah," he smiled at the exuberant fairy. Sephtis shifted at his side.

"And who's this cutie pie?" she said, shooting a grin at the thestral.

"You can see him?" Harry looked rather sad when he asked this and Zoreah nodded, confused.

"Of course I can, he's standing right there."

"No, it's not that; they can only seen by those that have seen death," Harry said softly.

"Oh."

"His name is Sephtis," Harry said, petting the little thing as it butted its head against Harry's thigh ", He's my familiar."

"He's rather young, Harry, shouldn't he be with his mother, his herd?"

"Thestrals die one they give birth, it's a circle of life thing. This little one followed me home."

Zoreah smiled ", true familiars choose the wizard." She pet Sephtis softly now, a pensive, melancholy look on her usually exuberant face."Who is it?"

"Hmmn?"

"Who is it that you saw die?"

"My Parents."

x.X.x.X.

Almost two weeks before school was to start Harry received a letter from Ron's owl, Pig. Apparently, The Order, Dumbledore especially was freaking out that he had disappeared from Privet Drive. Surely Snape had told them that he'd seen Harry? He supposed he'd find out soon enough; Ron had also told him that he was welcome at Grimmauld Place any time.

The emerald eyed wizard hadn't trusted Dumbledore as much as he pretended he did. Within his first two years at Hogwarts Harry noticed the subtle and not so subtle manipulations the twinkle eyed bastard orchestrated from behind the headmaster's desk. The elderly wizard brushed off Harry's pleas for help when he told him about the Dursley's abuse and sent him back summer after summer. He knew the man had the power to put him somewhere less volatile. Surely someone would be willing to take in the boy who lived.

Harry was slightly apprehensive about visiting Grimmauld Place, but he was of age and a Lord many times over. If Dumbledore was alerted to his presence there wasn't really anything the elderly wizard could do against him. He really wanted to bar The Order from his homes, but knew he would need to allow Dumbledore to think that Harry trusted him in order to continue his hunt for horcruxes. It would be a useful way to gather information. As for allowing anything slip he could always pretend it was the stress of the war.

"Harry!" shreked as he pushed open the door of Grimmauld.

"Hello, Mrs. Weasley." Sephtis shuffled nervously behind Harry. Mrs. Weasley couldn't see him.

"Well, come on in, Harry dear," she said, ushering him towards the kitchen. "I've just finished up lunch." His stomach growled and he smiled sheepishly.

"That sounds wonderful," Harry followed the smell of food and 's typical chatter.

"You caused quite the panic, Dear," she said ", we hadn't the slightest idea where you'd gone off to. Ron said you'd owl eventually, but a mother worries, you know. Dumbledore was convinced death eaters had gotten to you…" He tuned her out as his gaze settled on the lone dark figure amongst a sea of red heads.

"Oi! Harrykins!" The twins called. Ron gave him a nod and grinned as if to say 'I told you so'. Ginny gave him a small smile before she looked away. Harry didn't really know Bill or Charlie, but they acknowledged his presence with small nods of their own. But it was his own mate's greeting that threw him of kilter.

"Potter, where on earth did you manage to acquire a thestral? And one so young at that." Severus Snape could see Sephtis.


	6. A Fondness

A/N I don't own Harry Potter. Thank you for all the follows, favorites, and feedback. I love all you reviews and I check them obsessively.

_Previously_

_He tuned her out as his gaze settled on the lone dark figure amongst a sea of red heads._

_"Oi! Harrykins!" The twins called. Ron gave him a nod and grinned as if to say 'I told you so'. Ginny gave him a small smile before she looked away. Harry didn't really know Bill or Charlie, but they acknowledged his presence with small nods of their own. But it was his own mate's greeting that threw him of kilter._

_"Potter, where on earth did you manage to acquire a thestral? And one so young at that." Severus Snape could see Sephtis._ His mate had seen death, but Harry didn't think asking Snape who he'd seen die would go down the same way it did with Zoreah.

"His name is Sephtis, he's my familiar," Harry said, running his hands along the thestrals wing just to stop his hands from shaking.

_"My Harry?"_ Sephtis asked _", Did you know that's your mate?"_

_"Yes, little one, but how did you?"_ Harry asked him quietly and just as he thought the Weasley's, save Bill and Charlie, were looking at him like he was mad.

_"You're my wizard, Harry," Sephtis snorted ", I know things about you."_

"You expect me to believe that you have a thestral for a familiar?" Snape said, bitter disbelief in his voice. Said thestral rolled his eyes and trotted over to Snape, he butted his head against him and stamped his hoofs as if to say 'I'm right here, stupid wizard'. Harry chuckled at his protective familiar. He had a feeling Snape and Sephtis would get along just fine. He left three fascinated and five very, very confused wizards behind. He wasn't quite ready to face the Weasley's interrogation.

Harry jogged up the stairs of Grimmauld Place in search of a bedroom. If he didn't have black family magic he might find the dark magic suffocating, but as it was the house was saturated in magic that was a part of him. He was swimming in a sea of it; it felt like coming home. He smiled as he realized how hidden the house's true splendor was. Sure, it was dark, dirt and a bit dusty, but Sirius hadn't really commanded Kreacher to clean much of anything.

The house was designed brilliantly. Many of the rooms had magical doors, preventing anyone not accompanied by a Black from entering the majority of the house. He passed Sirius' room, he wasn't ready for that. Regulus Black, Sirius' younger brother's, room was perfect. Regulus and Sirius Black were about as different as two brothers could get and that was exactly what Harry needed right now.

The room was beautiful, the furniture done in African Blackwood. A large four-poster bed covered in silky emerald sheets, silvery drapings and a multitude of body and throw pillows dominated the room. There was also a black, leather couch and a few armchairs in front of a roaring fire. Ornate, plush area rugs tastefully covered the hardwood floor. A walk-in closet was tucked in one corner of the room, an en suite next to that with a bath the size of the perfects bath. Giant bay and bow windows covered one wall; on it was a padded bench. Books still rested on the end table and Regulus' fine clothes still hung in the closet.

"Master Regulus would bes wanting yous to have them as Lord Black," Harry turned at the sound of Kreacher's voice. "Elf Twinkly says Kreacher be going with Master Harry and keepings him safe from nasty headmaster of hog school."

Harry smiled softly ", Thank you, Kreacher." Harry set down his trunk and with a flick of his wrist his things unpacked themselves.

Today, Harry had a more muggle look. He had on black and white converse, light wash skinny jeans, a tight blood red muscle shirt. He wore open, over it one of the enchanted cloaks, black with silver trim. His daggers hidden in the folds of his cloak. His hair was a mess so he tied the top portion in a high knot on the back of his head.

Harry knew he'd have to go back down stairs eventually, so when his stomach growled for the third time in a minute he headed down to see if there was any food left.

"Harry, my boy!" The emerald eyed wizard almost turned around on the spot, but he forced himself to calm. The Weasley's had congregated in the sitting room. Snape had taken a seat in an armchair, whether this was willing or not Harry couldn't tell. Sephtis was laying protectively at his feet, pinning him to an armchair. They the were both glaring at Dumbledore. "Let's sit down and have a chat, shall we?" Harry sat on a couch between the twins, reluctantly. "Would you like to tell us where you've been all this time?"

"I was staying with a friend until I could find my own place, then Ron owled me," Harry smiled sheepishly ", I didn't think to come to Grimmauld." He would have to play this right until he needed to reveal his true power.

"Why weren't you at Privet Drive, Harry? Your relatives were worried something had happened to you," Dumbledore tried to look concerned. Harry wasn't buying it.

"They were?" Harry said, eyes wide with shock. "They told me the wanted me out of their house before morning as soon as I was of age. I just can't believe they were worried about me… " He whispered with a shocked sort of awe.

"Harry, the Dursleys care very much for you," The elderly wizard said, staring into his eyes. Harry felt him try and invade his mind. He wasn't as horrible at occlumency as he led everyone to believe; he was pretty good at it, actually. He hadn't lied, maybe he'd left a few things out, but he had a real memory of Vernon screaming at him to get out of their house before he turned seventeen. He covered his other memories in sadness and a twinge of fear. Dumbledore trusted the memory, he had no reason not to.

"I told you what they do-di-did to me, Headmaster," Harry said looking down, he really was having too much fun with this ", I don't think they care for me very much." Fred and George each wrapped an arm around him. The room was silent for a moment. Harry looked up once he composed himself ", Headmaster? I haven't eaten lunch yet." He glance toward the kitchen ", May I?"

"Of course, my boy," Harry could tell Dumbledore wanted to keep him there, interrogate him more. One look from Mrs. Wesley had him sending Harry to the kitchen. Sephtis looked torn and half stood up.

_"Stay with him, Sephtis, I don't trust Dumbledore,"_ Harry whispered across his mind link.

Harry quickly heated up lunch and he and Ron tucked in, hungry. The twins stared at him intently. Harry arched an eyebrow, they smirked in response. The dark haired wizard laughed, he didn't bother trying to hide anything from the twins. They always saw through his innocent act anyway. He mouthed 'later' nodding towards Ron.

x.X.x.X.

In addition to the intense wards Harry and Kreacher had around Harry's room the twins warded it tighter than Azkaban.

"So, what's up, Harrykins?" Fred asked.

Harry smiled, he missed them. "Did anything… strange happen to you on your birthday?"

"Oi! Forge, I think our little Harrykins had an inheritance," George said. He looked at Fred.

"Should we show him Gred?"

"I think we should Forge!" They smirked devilishly. Harry watched as their features became stronger, they filled out, muscles bulging, but not to the point of unattractiveness. They had pointed ears, four thin, but sharp fangs and eyes slit vertically. Just when he thought they were done, large, red, bat-like wings erupted from their backs and tails unwrapped from their waists.

"What _are_ you?" Harry asked in awe.

They looked at each other, grinning fertally ", We're Imps." Harry slowly let his Balaur features show. He didn't know why but he felt very small next to the two huge Imps; his resisted the urge wrap his wings around him like a cocoon.

"Harry?" Fred cooed, his voice soft and slow. "What are you?"

"A Balaur," Harry whispered ", but I don't know what it means."

"Harry?" This time the soft coo belonged to George ", Are you a sub?"

"A What?"

"Harry? Have you found your mate?" Harry noded, but he was trembling. Fred couldn't fight the pull to scoop him into his arms. The twins sat on either side of Harry on the bed and he snuggled into them. He didn't know why he felt so safe in their arms, but he did. "Harry? Who's your mate?"

"Snape."

x.X.x.X

"Severus how on earth did you come into possession of such a creature?" Dumbledore asked as soon as Harry left the room.

"Don't ask me," Severus said ", Potter brought it with him."

"Well, where did Potter get a thestral?" the elderly wizard asked in exasperation.

"And how would I know? I don't concern myself with we're Potter obtains illegal creatures," Severus drawled.

"Albus! I could care less how Harry got his pet!" Molly yelled. "What was he talking about? Did Harry tell you what his relatives were doing? And you did nothing!? I told you those muggles were abusing him!"

"You, though, knew?" Snape drawls, a hint of growl in his voice.

"Of course I knew," Molly snorts ". That boy's always been far too thin and the bruises he shows up with after the summer. Frankly, I'm surprised that boy's still alive." Snape tensed.

If he wasn't careful he was going to do something he regretted. They had known his mate was being abused. They had continued letting him live in that house with those awful muggles. The worst part was, Severus had know Petunia when he was young. He had foolishly thought that she would be glad to have a part of Lily or maybe he'd just told himself that. He was so angry with himself that he'd let his hatred of James cloud his image of Harry. "If you'll excuse me, I have some business to attend to," Severus hissed between clenched teeth, the little thestral at his side. He swore Sephtis snarled at Dumbledore as they swept from the room like bats out of hell. He need to have a talk with his little mate.


	7. A Firewhiskey

A/N I don't own Harry Potter. **A huge thanks** for the follows, favs, and all the sweet reviews! So, **_Harry is a Sub in this one_**, but he's also _**insanely magically powerful**_. It just seemed like the right way to go with his past; I feel like he needs someone to care for him right now.

**KyuubiChild717** (and anyone else who was wondering:) I definitely wouldn't be averse to writing a story in which Harry has more mates in the future, but in this story it will remain Harry and Severus. The Twins have their own mate(s), whom I'm very excited about writing, but love Harry like a brother. They reacted the way they did, because the Doms in them recognized that they had a protector (big brother) role in comforting him.

Hope that answers everyone's questions, but if you have more ask in a review or PM me. Enjoy!

_Previously:_

_"If you'll excuse me, I have some business to attend to," Severus hissed between clenched teeth, the little thestral at his side. He swore Sephtis snarled at Dumbledore as they swept from the room like bats out of hell. He need to have a talk with his little mate._

He had made it to the first landing when a pain shot through his arm. "Not now," Severus hissed. The dark mark pulsed red and angry against his pale flesh. The veins in his arms turned a dangerous black. If he resisted the call any longer he'd pass out or worse.

"Severus!" The mad shriek of the Dark Lord Voldemort echoed through Riddle Manor. Severus dropped to his knees before the insane-nose less man, kissing the hem of his robe. Quickly he retreated to his place in the half circle formed around the self proclaimed Dark Lord. He really bloody hated serving the snake faced madman. "What took you so long to heed my call!?"

"I apologize, My Lord," Severus murmured. "I was in a meeting with Dumbledore."

"And!?" The Dark Lord hissed.

"Potter has run away from his relatives home," Severus said making certain to call forth a memory of his meeting with Dumbledore earlier this summer right after Potter's disappearance. "Dumbledore has focused all of his efforts on finding him."

"Why did you not bring this to me sooner!" Voldemort screeched. Giving Severus no time to answer he bellowed ", Crucio!"

Severus stumbled through the door of Grimmauld Place, his every nerve on fire. "Dobby," he breathed, bracing his hands against the doorframe for support. The little house elf had been popping in on him after Death Eater meetings at Hogwarts since the Dark Lord had risen. Severus didn't know if the elf would hear him here, but he had to try. He hadn't anticipated being at Grimmauld still. His back-up robes and mask were here, but they only had low pain potions. They weren't equipped to deal with multiple rounds of the Crucius.

"Snapey sirs! What can Dobby be doing?"

"Bring me my potions bag, it's in my Death Eater robes at Hogwarts." Dobby did as asked and Severus downed one of his nerve regeneration potions. He was still trembling, but it was nothing he hadn't felt before. He still needed to talk to Harry, but he couldn't find him anywhere he looked.

"Have you seen Potter?" he drawled when he found the Weasley twins huddled together on a settee.

They looked up, a scarily calculating gleam in their eyes ",We have-"

"-and you had better-"

"-think long and hard-"

"-about what you're going to say-"

"-to Harry when you find him." Their eyes flashed a deeper blue and their pupils shifted to vertical slits. "Harry's our little bother-"

"-and if someone-"

"-say a dominant like yourself-"

"-were to hurt him-"

"-well, lets just say-"

"-they wouldn't find the body-" But by the time he went to find Harry he was already at Gringotts for his first meeting with Ironblood. Harry avoided him the next few days. The only reason he knew the boy was still staying at Grimmauld was that he would catch flashes of his thestral watching him. "What do you want, Sephtis?" he asked with a sigh ", I don't suppose you could tell me where Harry's gone off to?" The thestral snorted. "Honestly? What's your fascination with me?" Sephtis shook his and walked away. He really hoped his wizard's mate would get his act together and help his Harry.

x.X.x.X.

Lessons with Ironblood, the goblin Ragnok had found for him, were grueling. At his request, the goblin was not only teaching him how to act like a proper Lord, but how to fight. They would be working on how to greet a wizard without offence one moment and how to fend off aerial attacks next.

Ironblood was a goblin warrior and did not go easy on Harry. He refused to tell Harry what they were doing any day and as soon as he passed through the doors of their training room anything was fair game. Some days his wand was ripped from his hand and some sort of weapon thrust into it instead. This was supposed to help Harry with his wandless magic, but he wasn't quite there yet. More often than not the goblin would fight and quiz him on his educate simultaneously. Harry needed the goblin healer after most training sessions.

After today Harry wasn't sure how he was going to continue training; tomorrow they would head to Hogwarts. His lord training was over, but Harry knew he would need to continue learning how to fight if he was to win this war.

"Harry," Ironblood said after their training session ", The Goblin King would like to see you." The Goblin King had a name of course, but it was in Gobbledygook and quite hard for a new speaker, such as Harry, to pronounce.

"Why on earth would you want to learn Gobbledygook?" Ironblood had looked at Harry like he was mad when he asked if it was possible to learn the language.

"Well, you learned English, didn't you?" Harry asked ", So you could talk to wizards. It seems like a useful thing to know how to speak your language if we're to be friends."

"You want to be friends?" Ironblood said, looking agast ", With a Goblin!?"

"I kind of thought we already were," Harry said, the tips of his dark scaled ears turning pink.

"Harry, I think you need to see the Goblin King." The Goblin King sat behind a desk in the innermost bowels of Gringotts. In fact, Harry didn't even know if they were in the bank anymore; they may have passed through a couple portals at one point.

The Goblin King had told him that by extending his friendship he had entered a very ancient contract with the Goblins, one of eternal allyship. The Goblins held a great respect for Harry. They had agreed to teach him Gobbledygook and help with the war from behind the scenes as much as possible.

When Harry reached the Goblin King's office the goblin held out an iron medallion. "Here," he was a goblin of very few words.

"Thank you," Harry staring in awe at the delicate ironwork. At first the lines etched into it appeared to be random. Upon further inspection he realized it was all of his house crests intertwined. Small runes were etched amongst the blank spaces ", What do they mean?"

"They allow you to apparate through most wards, including straight into Gringotts."

"Thank you, King Goblin," Harry smiled gratefully, slipping the medallion over his neck. "May your gold be plentiful and increase in worth always."

The King of Goblins replied ", May your gold flow freely and multiply evermore."

x.X.x.X.

"Potter?" He'd started to believe that he wouldn't see Harry until the start of the year. The emerald eyed wizard stood in his doorway in nothing but cut off sweatpants, a bottle of nearly empty fire whiskey dangling from his fingertips. This was the first time Severus had seen him with any creature attributes and he was shocked and slightly disgusted that his body was having the reaction it was. Whether it was Harry's perfect bare body or the scales and wings that so closely resembled his own. The older wizard was definitely shocked when he realized how many scars his mate must have to have as many silver scales as he did.

"I tol-ded you," the intoxicated wizard slurred ", my nam-ms Harry."

"Harry," Severus sighed in exasperation ", why are you drinking? You know how easily our kind is affected by alcohol."

Harry stumbled farther into Severus' room. "Nope," he popped the 'p'. "Actually, I dunno much o've 'nything' 'bout us."

"Potter, Harry," he used his first name at Harry's drunk glare. "You are far too inebriated to be having this conversation and wearing far too little clothes."

Harry scrunched up his forehead and then glanced down ", Mmmhn, yeah. Firewhiskey was good. Present from Bill. Made me all warm and fuzzy, hadda take 'em off. Sephtis sayed I should come see you when he saw, don't 'member why."

"Your _thestral_ got you drunk, Potter?" he drawled.

Harry sighed ", He is not _my_ thestral, he is _a thestral_ whom has chosen to be my familiar." He staggered toward Severus. "And he did not get me drunk._ I_ got _me_ drunk." He was close enough to Severus now that the older wizard could smell the fire whiskey on his breath. "Mostly so I could do this." He suddenly lurched forward and wrapped his arms around Severus' neck. The kiss was drunk and sloppy and wet and all Harry. Soon Severus found himself kissing back despite his reservation; his resolve always seemed to crumble around the younger wizard. "And I told you to call me Harry," he growled into the kiss.

"Harry," he pulled away reluctantly ", You're drunk."

"I knoow, that waz the point."

"I have been waiting twenty years for a mate, why you?" He let go of the wizard in his arms. This was never going to work. Merlin, he was twice Harry's age. He hated the boy blindly for years. Harry hated him. They were on opposite sides of the war as far as Voldemort was concerned. They wouldn't be able to hide it; not in a war like this. The Dark Lord would find out somehow. Then, they'd both be dead. What was he thinking? "You hate me, us being mates doesn't change anything."

"Of course it doesn't," Harry laughed bitterly. "Forget this ever happened, Snape. In case you haven't noticed I don't do so good with rejection. I know this isn't the most conventional mateship, but I was willing to try and make it work, at least." He let out another dark, dry laugh. "Let me know if you ever decide you give a shite. If you don't, well, I'm used to it. Who could ever love a freak like me." Harry took another swig from the bottle and stumbled out of the room.

(A/N It was going to end here, but I thought that would be cruel.)

Harry wrenched open the door, sighing tiredly when he saw who it was. "What?"

"May I come in?" Severus asked smoothly.

"Might as well," Harry mumbled.

"Drink this," Severus held out a peach colored potion.

"What is it?"

"A sobering potion. We need to talk." Harry downed the thing, if only to avoid a killer hangover in the morning.

"That was bloody awful." Harry said, gagging. "Alright, Snape, talk."

"If I'm to call you Harry, you might as well call me Severus."

"Alright, Severus, come sit down, I'm bloody tired." They sat side by side in front of the fire. "Well?"

"What do you know about Balaur?"

"Next to nothing, just that we're Dragonoids."

Severus nodded ", You have figured out how to transform between your human and halfling forms, but you have another full dragon form. We are classified as Dark Beings at the Ministry of Magic. You'll soon find yourself being drawn to one element, with time you'll find you can influence it. You know we have destined mates… "

"Yeah?" Harry asked ", Severus, what is it?" It wasn't exactly something he could tell Harry later, he didn't know if Harry would forgive him if kept it from him. Maybe it was out of his concern for Harry or his own sense of self preservation. Or maybe it was some twisted desire that had taken root some time in the last twenty years, a seed of hope planted so deep he hadn't realized was there until he'd run into Harry that day in Diagon. Maybe, just maybe with Harry, with his mate he could be happy. That didn't mean he wasn't scared as hell.

"You, as the submissive, can be with others. I can not. As the dominant,you're my everything. I don't even feel attraction to others. I know that i'll have moments of insecurity, i'll push you away or fall into habit and say something stupid. But Harry, know that when I say i'll give this a chance, I really mean it."

"I'm glad, Severus,Thank you for telling me." Harry said softly with a shy smile. "Severus?"

"Yes?"

"Will you show me? Your halfling form?" Severus looked pensive for a moment before nodding. He didn't know how Harry would react to his scars, but Harry had so many himself. Perhaps he wouldn't react with the disgust Severus so feared. Slowly, he started to undo the insane amount of buttons on his robes.


	8. A Feature

**Question for you:** Would we rather have **Ron/Hermione & Luna/Neville** or **Luna/Hermione & Neville/Male ch. & Ron/Male ch**.? There is a **poll** on my profile** please go vote!**

A/N I don't own Harry Potter. I know some of you think they're moving too fast, but up until now that's all been in their minds, they won't do anything big until they trust each other. And, yes I know my stories are a bit jumpy, I kind of like it like that. There are though, some things that as the author are just going to make sense to me, but not the reader, so let me know if I have huge plot holes. **Thank you for reading**.

**Cli-sheabutter**: Yes, it's all a bit predictable, isn't it? But, its a storyline I love and I love writing it my way. A lot of Harry's knowledge comes from Ironblood, his goblin teacher. As for Snape's confidant, I have something like that planned. Ghost of Lily though, humm, interesting thought. Thank you for the thought out review.

**snapefan 18**: _**'A Twisted Loop Is Time'** _is my only Top/Dom!Harry story right now. Thank you for the review.

**bekhoshigumo**: Thank you. I don't know if I should be terrified or overwhelmingly excited. Thanks again. Sephtis totally and completely wrote himself into the story, Harry was going to have a dragon or snake or something. I honestly have no idea where he came from.

_Previously_

_"Will you show me? Your halfling form?" Severus looked pensive for a moment before nodding. He didn't know how Harry would react to his scars, but Harry had so many himself. Perhaps he wouldn't react with the disgust Severus so feared. Slowly, he started to undo the insane amount of buttons on his robes._

He waited patiently as the older wizard undid the buttons with shaking hands Harry pretended he didn't see. The outer robes shrugged off to reveal a white nightshirt. Severus stood and slowly dropped the white robe to the floor, leaving him in only a pair of black silk boxers.

The edge of whip lines peaked out from his back edging around his sides. A few were present along his chest, but most of the marks on his chest were from the slice of a blade. Cigar burns littered his chest and across right arm. Marks of self harm edged around the dark mark.

Skin slowly gave way to scales and Harry marveled at the patterns of silver so close to his own. Slowly Harry reached out and traced the small lines of silver bent around the dark mark. The dark mark itself was made of olive colored, brittle, only half scales. He looked up to meet Severus' eyes, but found them fixed stubbornly of to the side.

"Severus." It was all Harry said and laid his hand along side the dark mark. His eyes remained trained on Severus'.

"Perhaps, we're not ready this," the older wizard said, his voice rough. ", you seeing me like this. I know knowing the mark is there and seeing it there are two different things, I shouldn't have. I-"

"Severus." Harry cut him off before he slipped into rambling and didn't speak again until Severus met his eyes. "The dark mark doesn't bother me. I know you made a mistake in your youth and are on our side now. It's that I know what the silver means. I know how they feel. I understand so much it hurts to see you with them. Thats why I was staring. Who hurt you?"

"My father." A pregnant pause. "He was a muggle who didn't approve of magic."

"I know the type," Harry said softly.

"Harry, who hurt you?" He of course already knew the answer, but he would wait for Harry to tell him this.

"My uncle," he said finally. "He didn't like magic much. Or me."

"I'm sorry," Severus said voice colored with understanding.

"It's alright, It was really all I knew," Harry said ",It's gotten me prepared to fight Voldemort. Which what Dumbledore was doing when he place me and kept me with them, I suppose."

"I'm so sorry, Harry," Severus said and Harry didn't understand the pain in his voice.

"It's not you fault."

Severus closed his eyes tight, the guilt written in the lines of his face. "But I contributed to your pain, Harry, at Hogwarts. And I will continue to have to say certain things to keep the Death Eater's children from reporting our relationship with Voldemort."

"I know, but I want this to work. Once I get to know you; I real you. I know I'll forgive you for the past," Harry said. "and I understand you need to continue acting as you have."

"Harry, you can't possibly begin forgive me for all that-"

"Would you forgive me?"

"-Harry."

"Would you?"

"Of course."

"Then you see how I could very well forgive you," Harry said with a half triumphant little smirk peaking from the corner of his smile. Severus sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"I don't want you to resent me later."

"Honestly," Harry said, reaching for his hand ", I've been through worse. It wasn't all that bad, compared to the Dursleys. At least with you I knew that I didn't deserve it or you didn't mean what you were saying."

"I could kill them, I really could," Severus hissed.

"Who?" The emerald eyed wizard asked confused by the sudden bite in his voice.

"The Dursleys, Dumbledore. No child deserves to be hurt let alone a magical child," Severus said seethingly.

"I know that, but it's not like they asked to take me," Harry said ", I was just left on their doorstep." He loosely wrapped his arms around himself; his eyes were unfocused and glassy.

"Harry," Severus said, hand landing on the younger wizard's shoulder. The little dragon may be his mate, but comforting was not exactly a strength of his. He could, and would however make sure his little mate knew he was protected. ", you didn't ask to be brought there, either. What those awful… muggles did to you, It wasn't your fault. You'll never have to go back there."

At this the glassiness clouding his eyes let up some and a devilish smile slipped onto his face. "Oh, I know," Harry let out a dark laugh. " I made damn well sure they would never be able to hurt me again." He hissed the last bit through clenched teeth, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "I left as soon as I could after my inheritance and I'm never looking back."

Severus nodded at the all too familiar venom in his voice. "I understand why you wouldn't want to think about them, but if you ever find yourself in need of someone to talk to know you may come to me."

"Thanks, Severus," the emerald eyed wizard said. He didn't know yet if he would take his mate up on the offer, but it was nice to know Severus was there for him. After that rather emotionally draining conversation they drifted to more arbitrary topics. Severus had slipped his robes back on, but they stayed in their creature forms. The fire died considerably by the time Harry let out a nearly jaw breaking yawn.

"I'm not tired," he protested sheepishly, but even to his ears he sounded like a toddler. Severus shook his head, but he made no remark. The corner of his mouth even curled a bit in amusement.

"Regardless, we leave for Hogwart tomorrow," He stood, smoothing his robes as he drifted to the door. "You should get some rest."

"Severus!" Harry managed to call before the man left his room entirely. Severus paused in the doorway. "Stay. With me. Stay with me tonight, just to sleep," Harry didn't know where his voice came from, but he knew he didn't want this, whatever it was between them, to end. He watched the older wizard reach for the doorframe. He took a long, deep breath, before speaking with a roughness tinging his silky voice ", There will be more nights like this, Harry. I swear as long as we want this I will make time for you, for us." He turned ever so slightly, catching Harry's eye over his shoulder. "As much as I would love to stay with you, I don't want to move to fast with this. And tonight there is far more on my mind than sleep. Good night, Harry." Then he was gone.


	9. A Fire

A/N I don't own Harry Potter. Writing that makes me sad. **Thanks for reading**. Favorites and follows are greatly appreciated. **Please review, reviews are love.**

**Pole Update:** **Luna/Hermione & Neville/Male ch. & Ron/Male ch **has won. Who do we want the male ch. to be. There is a **poll** on my profile **please go vote!**

Severus had already left for Hogwarts by the time Harry woke. While he would have liked to say goodbye to the older wizard it was nice to fall back into the rhythm of riding the train with Hermione and the Weasley's. Even though Ron was seventeen, an adult in the eyes of the wizarding world, and Ginny was sixteen Molly still insisted on seeing them off at the platform. As soon as he reached the platform he felt the weight of killing Voldemort fall back upon him like a ton of bricks. Sephtis nuzzled the side of his thigh in a gesture of comfort; Harry rested his hand against the thestral's head for support. Hermione shot him a sympathetic smile and dragged him ahead of the Weasleys.

Harry and Hermione had been chosen as Head Boy and Girl. Ron, who had elected to give up his perfects duty this year, and Ginny were already aware of this and went to find a train car with their friends. Harry waved goodbye over his shoulder as Hermione led them to meet with the Perfects.

It was dreadfully boring and most of the talking was done by Hermione. Harry spent most of the meeting scuffing the toe of his trainer against the floor. The other's filed out about five minutes before they left for Hogwarts so they could change or gather their trunks.

"Oi! Malfoy!" Harry called, he and Parkinson were the Slytherin seventh year perfects. "Wait up!" Draco Malfoy looked as if speaking to two thirds of the golden trio was the last thing he wanted to do, but he slipped back into the train car anyway. He looked exhausted. His hair was free of that awful gel, but hung long and limp, shielding his face. Of what Harry could see, Malfoy's face was drawn and gaunt making his features even more sharp. When he did finally meet Harry's eyes they were dull, but lit with fire at the idea of a confrontation with he and 'Mione.

"What is it, Scarhead?" he asked, trying to appear uninterested.

"I just wanted to tell you that I'm ending this childish feud," Harry said.

He'd been thinking a lot about the war as of late. He hated that his mate had to constantly put himself in danger to protect them all and if Harry had his way he wouldn't be spying for much longer. The emerald eyed wizard made a note to go through his books to find something to remove the dark mark. Maybe Ironblood or Hermione would help. His friends too, he constantly worried about how best to protect them. Then there were the trivial worries, how would Sephtis live at Hogwart, what what he going to wear, do he really have to finish his summer work now? But not once had Malfoy crossed his mind. He had bigger problems. "We're in the middle of a war and there are better ways to spend our time than fighting each other. What do you say, Malfoy, truce?" He held out his hand in a backwards echo of their first year.

The blonde arched one perfectly sculpted eyebrow and Harry nearly lost it laughing at the rubbish Severus impression. Finally he laid his hand along Harry's. "I suppose a truce would be agreeable, but this doesn't make up friends, Potter."

Harry chuckled as he, 'Mionie, and Sephtis slipped from the train car ", Of course not, Malfoy."

The sorting went much like it always did, not that Harry would have noticed if anything spectacular happened. His eyes were glued to Severus for the majority of the meal.

_'If you keep staring someone's bound to figure out you're together,'_ Sephtis said, butting his side.

_'They see what they want to see, Sephtis,'_ said Harry, feeding the thestral a slab of meat under the table. The food disappearing into thin air must have looked strange to anyone watching, but none ever looked that close anyway. _'They'll write it off to hate and suspicion.'_ Sephtis muttered something about dull minded wizards and Harry chuckled, earning some strange looks from those around him. If not for Hermione practically shoving him over he wouldn't have noticed that the feast was over. They, along with the other perfects, led the little firsties to the common room.

The first year's awe at the Gryffindor house filled him with a rueful sort of nostalgia. As soon as everyone was headed to their rooms he and Hermione found the portrait leading to the Head Boy and Girl rooms. It was one of Gryffindor's distant, distant relatives.

"You must be the Head Boy & Girl?" the portrait asked. THey nodded. "Alright, run you hand over the door, it will read your magic, to be sure." They did and the portrait nodded. "Password?" Hermione looked at Harry with one of her I've- just- come- up- with- something- brilliant grins and leant over whisper something in his ear.

He chuckled ", You sure?" She nodded, that smirk teasing her lips as Harry whispered it to the portrait.

The portrait looked agast ", That-That's what you want your password to be?" They nodded vigorously with sly grins.

"No one would ever expect it," Hermione said. This seemed to reassure the portrait, who swung open for them.

Their rooms were beautiful. The portrait opened to the common room, made to look like a mini Gryffindor common were two cherry wood doors across from them and one next to the one they had just entered. Gold lettering spelled out either 'Head Boy' or 'Head Girl' on the doors across from them. Harry pushed his door open and smiled at the subtlety. Unlike the common room which was soaked in red and gold,the cherry wood of the bed, bedside table and armoire, black silk sheets and area rugs covering the stone floor, and gold accents worked nicely together. They each had an en suite; the bathroom was free of Gryffindor colors all together. Deep blues, sea greens and chocolate browns were the only colors to be found.

The best part, though was the balcony. Both rooms had glass doors off to it and the bathrooms had a set of bay windows one could open and climb out of, if they so wished. Harry pulled back the intricate drapes and joined Hermione on the balcony. "Hey," she said turning to him with a smile.

"Hey, Mione." The balcony was much bigger than he'd thought from the outside. It was big enough for an ironwrought table, four matching chairs, two armchairs and room to stand. They sat in the armchairs and went over their summer essays until the sun dropped too low in the sky.

Potion-stained hands cupped his jaw, they slid around his head and brought their lips together. The hold was gentle, but this kiss was all hunger and heat. Harry moaned as those talented fingers moved down his body. One hand played with his nipple, the other stroked his ' mouth latched onto a pulse point in his neck and left a trail of open mouth kisses along his collarbone that made his knees grow weak. Huge wings wrapped around him and Harry's own unfurled and fluttered with his heart.

Harry yanked his mate's head back up to meet him in a searing kiss. With a growl Severus pulled away any of Harry remaining clothes and chuckled, warm and deep, as Harry eagerly tried to remove his own. Somehow they rid themselves of all but their boxers. Harry instinctively thrust his hips forward and groaned at the answering hardness.

"Bed," Harry panted through their kiss.

"What's wrong with here," Severus purred before dipping his head to take one of Harrys nipples in his mouth. The younger wizard twined his arms around Severus' neck and his legs found their way around his mates waist. They eagerly rutted against each other. "Come little mate," Severus murmured in his ear and soon he did. Severus held him against the wall through it, slowly lowering him to the floor when they were through. Harry snuggled into their embrace and pressed his face to Severus' chest until all he could see was black.

When he awoke he was alone. And in his Head boy room. "Bloody hell," Harry grumbled. It had only been a dream. A dream that left him alone and aroused. And with a quick tempus he realized there was less than an hour before he had agreed to meet Hermione in their common room. "Bloody brilliant," he grumbled, dragging himself out of bed to get ready. Potions was first this morning and bound to be interesting, Harry mused, images from his dream still swirling in his mind.


End file.
